Restaurant review: Dirty Habit in S.F.

At the new Dirty Habit restaurant, on the site of the former Fifth Floor, you can sit down for dinner at a table or have a cocktail at the bar.

At the new Dirty Habit restaurant, on the site of the former Fifth Floor, you can sit down for dinner at a table or have a cocktail at the bar.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The menu ranges from bar nibbles to heartier dishes like these mussels.

The menu ranges from bar nibbles to heartier dishes like these mussels.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Mezcal-cured salmon pairs well with the bar's sophisticated cocktail offerings.

Mezcal-cured salmon pairs well with the bar's sophisticated cocktail offerings.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The Bread Pudding at Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

The Bread Pudding at Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The DIY bread pudding, top, comes with various embellish- ments. A new rooftop patio, above, seats 45, and a table can be hard to come by when the weather is nice.

The DIY bread pudding, top, comes with various embellish- ments. A new rooftop patio, above, seats 45, and a table can be hard to come by when the weather is nice.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Diners enjoy dinner at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Diners enjoy dinner at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The Halibut at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

The Halibut at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The Chicken Wings at Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., are seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

The Chicken Wings at Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., are seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The Corn Cremeux at Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

The Corn Cremeux at Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The "Up in Smoke" Fondue at Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

The "Up in Smoke" Fondue at Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The Pork Croquettes at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., are seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

The Pork Croquettes at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., are seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The Octopus at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

The Octopus at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The Hamburger with thick cut Fries at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

The Hamburger with thick cut Fries at the Dirty Habit restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on Thursday, June 26th 2014.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Restaurant review: Dirty Habit in S.F.

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Dirty Habit. Is the name clever, cutting edge, disgusting or simply unappetizing? The fact that we even asked the question means it works on at least one level: It's not easy to forget.

The restaurant is a redo of the Fifth Floor in the Hotel Palomar. From the minute the owners, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, announced the new name, people were talking. And when people talk, it often leads to action.

The concept is very much of the moment, following the growing trend of the complete mashup of dining and drinking, led by such places as Bar Agricole, Trou Normand, 25 Lusk and Trick Dog.

Is it a bar or a restaurant? That's another question that's becoming increasingly hard to answer.

Several incarnations

It's clear Dirty Habit is embracing the more free-form, casual trend. Even without the name change, Fifth Floor has been through several incarnations, starting with George Morrone, who earned the place four stars for highly crafted, precisely formulated combinations.

After he left in 2001, it was home to other chefs recognizable to those who follow our food culture: Laurent Gras, Melissa Perello, Laurent Manrique, Jake des Voignes and Charlie Kleinman. For the last three years, David Bazirgan did the restaurant proud. He decided to stay on with the new concept, as did pastry chef Francis Ang, wine director Emily Wines and bar manager Brian Means.

As talented as this group is, the restaurant obviously wasn't performing as well as it should. Not to be left in the dust, Kimpton decided to completely transform the space.

The bar, always a strength, has been lengthened. The lights have been dimmed, and the walls now have a patina of charcoal gray metal. Parts of the ceiling are covered with metal framing studs, which further drives home the industrial theme. But unlike a real warehouse space, these elements have a refined edge.

Tables at the entrance have a lounge vibe and floors are carpeted, which still doesn't do much to subdue the noise on a busy weekend. Opposite the bar are long booths that are designed to host larger parties. A narrow room in back has a contemporary dining room feel, with round tables and upholstered chairs. What was once the main dining room is partitioned off by what looks like rolling barn doors to make private rooms, always a good option for a hotel.

Rooftop patio a draw

The biggest change is the addition of a rooftop patio surrounded by the higher floors of the hotel. The patio seats 45 - the same number as in the dining room and a few more than in the bar. It's a combination of low sofas, cocktail tables and more traditional patio dining tables. On a recent visit early in the week, when tables inside went wanting, the patio was full.

Bazirgan's compact menu includes 21 Bites and four Sweets. The selections are arranged so bar nibbles are at the top of the single page - spiced nuts ($3), warm olives ($5) and thick-cut fries with harissa aioli ($6), destined to become a signature. Subsequent dishes move closer to a traditional dinner menu, ending with two full-size plates - a good rib eye ($35) with bearnaise, asparagus and those excellent fries, and a chunk of halibut ($32) with tapenade and whatever vegetables are in season.

The mix-and-match menu includes a chewy pretzel topped with sausage, and mezcal-cured salmon ($14), which has a subtle smoky bite from the spirit. Thin slices pave the plate strewn with cubes of pickled cactus, shavings of chiles, bits of mint and wisps of dill, and play into the cocktail theme in a sophisticated way.

Cocktails, and an extensive spirits list, are clearly highlighted with such items as an Oaxacan Negroni ($12) where mezcal is substituted for gin, and Leather and Lace ($12) with rye, sherry, a touch of fruitiness from Licor 43 and an herbal quality from tobacco bitters. Many are served in vintage cocktail glasses, adding to the celebratory theme.

The wine list is extensive - nearly 30 pages - but on my visits just about everyone went for a cocktail, beer or one of the more than 30 by-the-glass selections. On a busy Friday night, in fact, I was hard-pressed to find a table with a bottle of wine nearby.

Chicken wings ($12) are just what you might want when you need a little food to balance the liquor consumption. The thick, crunchy batter glistens with a wash of sweet soy and spicy chile vinaigrette; the bold flavors cut through an alcohol-numbed palate. I also fell for the "up in smoke" fondue ($14), where a puddle of warm, smoky cheese is surrounded by cubes of brioche, radishes, whole baby carrots, squash, snap peas, purple and yellow cauliflower and cherry tomatoes.

Moving more to the dinner side, Bazirgan offers lettuces with feta and honey ($10) and four kinds of cucumbers ($12) cut, chunked, sliced and shaved on a bed of seasoned yogurt, pink from sumac. They're tossed with plums and cubes of bread, creating another bold but refined combo. Also bridging the divide between drinks and dinner are the PEI mussels ($16) heaped in a broth with saffron, pastis and tarragon, which supports the licorice notes of the spirit.

For the sweet tooth

Ang, who was known for his innovative desserts at the Fifth Floor, has made his concoctions (all $8) at Dirty Habit more approachable.

Vanilla cremeux spreads over the mouth, the vanilla becoming more intense with each bite, punctuated with the surprise of the olive oil drizzle that enhances the effect; a few strawberries add fresh relief. On another visit, however, the dessert was flavored with corn and had a firmer consistency. It was topped with tart pickled blueberries, shreds of stale-tasting phyllo and a scoop of Parmesan ice cream. He might have created the dish by asking "Why not?" but I would ask "Why?"

Bread pudding is presented like a crusty loaf in a cast iron pan, next to four small containers - cashews, thyme creme anglaise, whipped cream and marinated blueberries. Another item that clearly illuminates Ang's talent is the churros, not only for the miso caramel and lychee accompaniments but also for the surprise of raspberries buried inside the crisp sticks of dough.

While it's clear that Bazirgan, Ang and Means are a well-oiled team and are growing comfortable with the new format, the service can be a little disjointed and detached, especially at the host stand. The ability to provide proper attention in a drinking environment is a challenge, and it's going to take a while to get it right.

Still, even with much going for it, the question remains: Can the restaurant actually become a local habit? Time - and a few more cocktails - may tell.

The Hotel Palomar's Dirty Habit opened as the Fifth Floor 15 years ago. The restaurant's three dramatic design transformations represent broader changes in dining trends.

1999:

-- When Fifth Floor opened, many of the city's best restaurants were in hotels. The Kimpton group hired George Morrone as the chef. He had earned four stars as chef of Aqua, and repeated the feat at this new high-end restaurant, appropriately named because it was on the fifth floor of the hotel.

The surroundings were luxurious, offering an almost womb-like environment. Windows were covered with two layers of draperies. Floors were carpeted in a chic zebra pattern, a trend still in vogue. Accent walls had a Japanese flair, and each table was covered in Frette linens and set with Bernardaud china and had vases filled with flowers. That style lasted through two successive chefs who continued to support the fine-dining tenor of the space: Laurent Gras and Melissa Perello, who now owns Frances.

2008:

-- When Laurent Manrique took over the kitchen, the restaurant took on a French accent and underwent another remodel to bring it up to date and signal a new direction.

The carpet was removed to display dark wood floors; the curtains at the windows were pulled back to showcase the outdoor rooftop with a few containers planted with bamboo. The Frette linens were replaced by fabric runners, which showed the corners of the dark wood tables - this was still fine dining and the designers obviously didn't feel comfortable baring all. As for the staff, the waiters abandoned their suits for vests and white shirts and aprons.

Brown leather banquettes and beige barrel-shaped chairs replaced the upholstered seats. A glassed-in wine rack along one wall helped give the room a sleeker look, but in the process it lost some of its intimacy.

2014:

-- Is it a bar or a restaurant? That's the question I'm continually asking in today's dining scene. Clearly, management is fueling that conundrum not only with the name Dirty Habit, but also with the design.

In this reincarnation, the bar has been extended, the lights dimmed, and the refined edges scrapped in favor of dark walls the color of gunmetal, galvanized tabletops and other industrial metal elements. Distressed barn doors, with handles made from galvanized plumbing pipes, separate the seating areas. The rooftop atrium has been converted to a dining and drinking patio.

The fine-dining approach - and the tasting menu - has been scrapped for bar-friendly offerings with just two traditional main courses. Waiters are dressed entirely in black - pants, T-shirts and aprons, the latter accented with red straps.